Co-composting and Technosols: A Sustainable Breakthrough in Contaminated Sediment Management

Soil, a non-renewable environmental resource, is at the heart of growing concerns in the world of ecosystem protection. In recent years, significant emphasis has been placed on reducing land use, with a particular focus on adopting sustainable practices such as the circular economy. Among the most promising innovations, the creation of technosols emerges, artificial substrates with properties similar to those of natural soil.

One of the most intriguing areas of research is the use of technosols derived from recycled materials or waste, as in the case of studies conducted by the University of Pisa, in collaboration with BD Biodigressioni srl and Chemservice. Recently published in Water, the study focuses on the use of co-composting to transform dredged sediments contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in high-quality technosols.

The co-composting process developed by the research team involves the use of lignocellulosic residues and the ascomycetal fungus Lambertellasp. MUT 5852, isolated from the same contaminated site. This innovative strategy not only promotes environmental sustainability but directly addresses the challenge of sediment decontamination and detoxification.

To assess the effectiveness of the process, an integrated approach has been adopted that includes detailed chemical analyses, genotoxicity tests with bean seeds and toxicity tests with Caco-2 cells, used as in vitro gut model. The results were extremely encouraging, showing that mushroom co-composting can be successfully used in the recovery of contaminated sediments, resulting in technosols that can be reused in a sustainable way.

The multidisciplinary approach adopted by this study not only provides a practical solution for the management of contaminated sediments but also lays the foundations for a future in which soil regeneration through innovative processes becomes a common practice. At a time when environmental sustainability is crucial, co-composting and the creation of technosols represent a significant step towards a healthier and more resilient environment.

Our support in this specific study concerns the in vitro toxicity icells Caco-2, but we can deal with studies of toxicity in vitro with cells and tissues but also ecotoxicity to verify the harmful effects (or the decrease of these) in model organisms representative of the different trophic levels of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

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